Float or the like



`July 13,- 1948. s. M. HoDGlNs 2,445,258

Y FLOAT OR THE LIKE Filedoct. so, 1942 .2 FIGA. JZ

y @YM wf d ATTORNEYS Patented July 13, 1948 UNITED! STA-TES l PAT OF F I2C E" f. l

l Filo-Ar R THE LIKE,

Sydney M." Hodgins', Lakewood; Ohio f vApplication October 30, 1942, Serial No. 51615868-A 4sClaims.

. 1 This? invention relates to devices embodying sealed"'metallic rshells and more particularly to floats andthelike where these devices are to be used under rela-tively. high temperature and high pressure-'conditions and Wh'ere'the devices are apt "l ISffor connecting it to a'rodlor leverfor operating tobesubjected-to corrosive action, and the principal object'of-the invention is to-providenew and improved-"devicesof these types.

Thefnovel'features of the invention will appear from' this specification and the accompanying drawingforming'apart of this application and showing `several embodiments ofthe invention for purposesfof illustration, and all these novel features are intended to be pointed out in the claims. In the dra-wing:

i lil'guref-l isa'central longitudinal sectional view of "a float embodying the invention,

Figuree'Zf is' afsection taken cnthe linev 2 2, looking in" the` direction of the arrows,

Figure 3 isa4 section taken on the line 3 3; lookingfinthfe direction ofthe arrows, f v

Figureil is a central'section of another float' embodying" thee invention;

Figure i5-fis anenlarged 'fragmentary view partly iny section; and' Figure 6 is an enlarged frag-V mentaryfsectional view, illustrating a methodo'f providing a'fl'angedaperture in a' shell party and Figures-Tand 8-are enlargedl fragmentary sec'- tionallviews showing different forms of joints. Between shell? parts.` y

Referring to Athe-embodiment shown inFigures 1, 2, and 3,. the float there illustratedha's a gen- Mailly-cylindricalportion and hemispherical ends and comprises=two shell parts I0; Il, which may be of any suitable steel, preferably but not necessarily, .lpercent to-.20 percentcarbomhavin'gvcylin'drical Y portions I 2, I 3, and' hemispherical en'ds I4; I 5 2 The adjacent ends ofthe-cylindrical portions I2, I 320i'J the shell partsare here shown as providedT-witltlf'inwardlyY directed annular anges- I6, offdesiredradial'width, theseflanges being'in abuttingv engagementA and united as by sweat brazlng'to'form a `joint 32, additional brazingnfIa-terial I8@ beingv desirably but not necessarily adtied'tollin thesearn*l When additionalbrazing/material I8 is'used to fill' in the seam', venough i'sirst'taddedito form a slight mound orvbead', this:

Head -liei'ng'then trimmed smooth' so that the braze-ll'vi'sg lilshv with the .cylindrical adj oining-v surfaces-fofftlie shell parts;

Itiwillbeevident that the annularflange formed bythe'united abutting flanges I6, I'I greatlyv strengthens the cylindrical portion of the float.

a valve or otherA device to becontrolled n'ot shown) The means I9'is here shown-as a--metala lic lugnwhich-mayhave a hexagonalbody 2U provided with a `cylindrical shank `2|.. lThe b ody 26 maybe provided-Witha threadedrecess.22 into which the threaded end of a rod (not-shown) mayfbe'screwed.' The shank 2| is here shown as projecting` into the float through an aperture l23 inthe hemispherical end' I4 of y'the shelll partli Desirably but not necessarily the surface offtlie shoulder 24, of the body' 28];adjacent the shank is dishedfto conform 13o-the adjacent spherical surface ldofth'e shell part Il).y Thelu'g I9' may be unitedfto the-shell part' III-"byfbrazingl sweated in between the engaging-surf aces of the shell and lug.'-

The Ventire outer'surface of the float 'structure as hereinbef'oredescribedis provided, as by! electroplating' or in anyothersuitable way,v with' a coating -25 'of copper or other suitable corrosion-- resistingmaterial capables .of withstanding- I rela'- tively 'high' temperatures@ under '1 corrosive-A conditions; f

f desi-red strengthening means; 261 may be provided,V this' means extending within the float from the in'side-'wa'llf4 of the hemispherical end I5v of 'the'shellpart I I tothe inside Wall 'of `the fhemi spherical:v erid HI'ofly the shellf part I. 'The' strengthening meansI 26#- comprises a tubular member 211; desirablyvofsteel and' of an internal diameterfso* thatlity ts atY one end around the shank-21, and' desirablyabuts the inside of the hemispheric'al Wall: I4: The other en'd ofthe tubular member: 2T maybe suitablyv fastened to the inside-wall offthehemisplierical end I5 ofthe shell. part Il;` Inthis instance a metal washer 28; whichfmayfbe disheditoconform to the wall 'I 5; is interposed' between said 'wall' and the end ofv the tubular member; The 'tubular member'zZr'Izj and tl'ie-iwasherfZB- arehere shown.. as fastened together by means 29 such as a weld; brazing material; or-otherffsltable means. As `here shown a hole 30fhas1beenidrilled'through the shell part Ifh and the washer' 28; and brazing material,l 3 la has thenbeeri run intothis -hole topll and seal the holeandatthe Vsaine time fastenrthe washer 28? to the shell" parte I I of the axis ofthe lugwith respect to the float.

Themse se is ruled-1n with brazing 'mater-iai a'fter-thejoint SZ-Ihasbeen br'a'z'ed as the' brazing' of the joint heats the air Within the oat, and one of the purposes of the hole through the shell is to permit the escape of the heated expanded air. Preferably the hole 30 is sealed while the float is still hot. If desired a small hole 35 may be provided in the tubular member 21 to insure easy escape of air from Within the oat and tubular member to and out yof the hole 30 in the shell part. Escape of air may be provided for in other ways and the strengthening means 26 may assume other forms, one of which will be described in connection with the embodiment of Figure 4.

The float illustrated in Figure 4 comprises two shell parts Illa, I lb both of which are here shown as hemispherical. a joint 32a. The joint 32a comprises an inwardly The shell parts are united by.

of course be apparent that in this embodiment the tubular member 21a, if fastened at all to the shell part IIb, must be fastened, through intermediation of the Washer 28a, to the shell part IIb, before the shell parts are assembled as shown. As shown in Figure 4 an aperture 41 for permitting escape of air is provided at any desired place in the float shell and this aperture is' then sealed by brazing 48.`

From rthe foregoing it will be apparent that the strengthening means 26a shown in Figure 4 and the manner in which it is related to the other elements and the manner in which escape of air scribed in connection with Figure 1, and vice versa.

offset flange 36 on one of the shell parts, the

flange 36 being joined to the shell part |011 by beading 31, and being offset by an amount preferably equal to the thickness of the shell parts, so that the margin of the other shell part llb may be telescoped over the flange 36 and pushed into abutment with the beading 31. The engaging portions of the joint 32a are united by brazing.

In Figure 4 the shell part Illa. is shown as provided with an aperture 38 margined by flange means 39 provided by material which before formation of the aperture occupied the area ofr the aperture, the flange means 39 being formed by bending said material inwardly. The aperture 38 and flange means 39 are formed in one operation as illustrated in enlarged Figures 5 and 6. In these figures a die 40 is fragmentarily shown, this die having a cylindrical aperture 4I preferably having a rounded margin 42. The die 40 and shell part 10a are brought into engagement as shown in `Figure 5 and then a pierce punch 43 having a cylindrical portion 44 and a conical point 45 is driven against the shell part I 0a, the punch 43 forming the aperture 38 and bending the material to form the flange means 39 as the punch enters the aperture 4I in the die. The completed aperture 38 andflange means 39 are shown, in section, in Figure 6 after the punch 43 has been withdrawn. The punch 43 does not remove any metal but as the point of the punch enters the shell it eventually tears the metal, usually Aat three lines radiating outwardly from the point of the punch, meanwhile bending the metal against the inside surface of the aperture 4| of the die. By not removing any metal a longer and better flange means 39 is provided.

The oat is provided with a lug I9a here shown as similar to the lug I9 shown in Figure 1, the shank 2Ia of the lug extending through the aperture 38 and fitting in the inside of the flange means. Sweat brazing unites the mutually engaging surfaces of the lug, the shell, and the flange means.

Strengthening means 26a, analogous to the strengthening means 26 described in connection with Figure 1, may be provided. In the instance shown in Figure 4 a tubular member 21a is illustrated as of suflicient inside diameter to t around the flange means 39 and this end of the tubular member is shown as abutting the inside surface of the shell part Illa. The other end of the tubular member 21a is shown as united to a washer 28a in the manner described in connection with the tubular member 21 and washer 28 of FigureV 1, but in Figure 4 the washer 28a is shown as fastened to the inside Wall of the shell part llb as by brazing material 46. It will .The parts hereinbefore described in connection with Figure 4 having been assembled and the various joints brazed, and the float sealed at 48, the float is given a coating 25a of corrosion-resisting metal as hereinbefore described in connection with the coating 25 in Figure 1.

The joint 32a is shown in section much enlarged and more or less diagrammatically, in two forms in Figures 'l and 8 respectively. In Figure 7 the overlapping telescoped portions of the joint 32a are united by sweat-braze 49, and then bracing material 50 is filled into the seam suflicient to form a slight outward bead, then smoothed off ilush with the outer surfaces of the shell parts Illa., IIb, and then the corrosion-resisting metal coating 25a is applied. In Figure 8 the overlapping telescoped portions of a jointy B2b similar to the joint 32a, are united by sweat brazing 49a, but the seam is not braze-lled, and the float is then provided with a coating 25h of corrosion-resisting metal, whereby, of course, the seam 5| of the joint will be visible.

It will be evident that if desired a joint of the form of the joint 32 of Figure 1 may be used in a spherical type of float as shown in Figure 4 and on the other hand a joint such as the joint 32a. of Figure 4 may be used ina float of the type shown in Figure 1. Any of these joints may be of the smooth seamless appearing kind or of the type in which the seam shows. In general, the features of the oat shown in Figure 4 are not limited to the spherical type nor are the features of the oat shown in Figure 1 limited to the type there shown.

By getting rid of a large proportion'o'f the air within the float, oxydation of the inside of the float is negligible.

A float embodying the invention, with or without the strengthening means such as 26 or 26a, is particularly adapted for use in connection with steam boilers and apparatus Where the steam may have a temperature up to the order of 500 F. to 800 F. or higher. Of course a float embodying the invention may be used to advantage where conditions are less severe. A oat for use with the higher steam temperatures is notV only subjected tovery high temperature but to accompanying high steam pressures. The material which unites the joints in the float must be able to withstand the temperature of the steam, and the joints and the float as a whole must be able to withstand the accompanying pressure. Furthermore, the float must be adequately corrosion resistant, failure due to corrosion being more apt to occur at high temperature and pressure. 'Ilhe float is not only subjected to high temperature but between theupper portion ofthe float and the lower portion thereof there exists a high temperature. differential ibecausetire/ff lowers1 pore tion ot the matas-immersed; infsteamf-,condensate andthe unperfportionthereofiaexppsedtoasteam atamuch:higherftemperaturezf Thiaputsgaigreat strain-.on-,the'fjointzbetweenthe shell-ipartsfofithe A- spherical float fadaptcdiforftl'ie `s,er-,vices:here:- inbefore;described-mayfbei ot iiardiameteirI approximately meerder of@twtoitwelveeinches: and azlfloat offtheftypefshownfin: Eigures 1 may 'beatrproximately the .sameadiametenorder andfliaving as length f off; approximately.' the@ order? offy sixr or more-rinchesfff Theseifl'gures; however; aree given nierelyby waant-illustration andf-notli-mitation. In f, connection': with;: these .f sizesf.: the thickness? of the shell parts mayfvbe: assfolflows: Byway of ',fillustration-.ancrnot limitation, the thickness of the steel of which the shell parts may be made, may be of the order:v of aboutfifteen thousandths (.015) of an inch to. aboutA fifty.- thousandths (5050? ofan inch andthe `comiercoating preferably is of a thickness of the orderof about ve thousandths -(.'005) off' an l inch toeabout twentyfivethousandths (.025) of. anl inch. The order of.,thickness of copper coating.. is substantially greater: tha-n. the minimum .thickness of;` copper coating which might befeasible .under less severe conditionse. Such a minimum,thickness=isgapproximatelyvthree ten thousandtlis (.0003lvof an inch. A shell made of v'steel.ofisufltcient,thickness tofprovidethe required strengthand coated with copper of4 minimum thicknessisunot feasibleefor useunder. the more severe,conditions, because, fronereason, the copper'. coating tendsto-peel, scale or` blister, or otherwise. become` loosened from tlie steel. Also,'too thinfatcoatingmayfnot bes'ufllziently corrosion resistant. becauseotY possible porosity. On the otherhand a floatfvcomprisng.l asliell of 'steel coated .withecopperfof-.materiall'y. greater thickness. .than the minimum ...not only does not have the foregoing: disadvantages but. the composite shell is strengthenedbyA the copper coatingso that the steel and copper cooperate to provideaveryistrongfg'light iloat which at the same time has substantially the corrosion,- resisting qualities of anallrcoppen iloati, friloat in.: accordance with the inventiorrdoesal notz have therdisadvantages of an all .copper iloatfsucht4 as, among other things, the fact that an all copper float, if it could be made of sufficient strength to withstand the higher steam pressures, would be too heavy. An all copper float of sufficient strength cannot be feasibly made because the copper is softened and weakened by the heat necessary for the application of brazing or like materials having a sufficiently high fusion or failure temperature to withstand the temperature of the steam. An all copper float not only lacks the requisite strength but lacks the requisite buoyancy required of a float of feasible size.

In general, the thickness of the steel and copper are chosen so that the float will have the requisite strength. Accordingly, for a float larger than twelve inches to withstand the same conditions as a twelve inch float, the steel and copper will be made of greater thickness. I have found that, in general, a satisfactory ratio between the thickness of the copper coating and the thickness of the steel of the shell is of the order of approximately a ratio of one to three, to a ratio of one to two, that is the copper coating is of the order of about one-fourth to one-third of the composite thickness of the float shell.

For uniting the joints hereinbefore described the brazing material should have a fusion temperatureain,A general above'` 1000y F.; `andffor the more isevereucondtionsi azfusion temperature.` .of theiordereofrabout;1300i ory mo-re is preferred. S,o-called silver'solders or otherfmaterials which 'arefapplied and usedin g the manner of brazing materials; may Nbe `used-.provided the fusion temperature is in thexdesired' range and providedthe failure-.temperature vthereof isv suiliciently above the temperaturebfjthefstem. Itl may be noted that a: material might have, a high enough fusion temperature and yet-its eutectic point might be so low thatthermateria'llwould' fail when-'subjected to the` combination of'highlpressure andthe relativehigh temperature .steam` though. they steam isa-at;A a= temperature lower than `the fusion tem.- peratu-re -of. the material. It'lvwill-be `understood of?.v course that. brazing materials:y and materials applied; andiusedA in the manner of ybrazing.; mate rialsa-ref alloys; ,s

In general, material used for uniting the joint lbetween` thewfl'oat shell parts. and YtheI joint. between: tirer lug:Y and ,thev float` shell vshould 'satisfy thefconditions` hereinbefore mentioned and shouldzbe non-ferrous: Thematerial used toseal an-fairfvent (such as-30l should .alsobev non-ferrous.v` The corrosionv resistant coating material should :alsobe non-ferrous.1 Thelug (such as the lug:- I9) f should; ber of.` non-ff-errous material such as@ brass; copper; i orriother: nonfferrous. material. It may` be noted that the threaded re\cess-(22) in theV lug cannot: feasibly r be coated with copper orothencorrosion resistant' material. Desirably the rodwlilch isto--be .screwed into'therecess 22 is-of brassor other noni-ferrous material and if screwedqintoa lug Aof steel orfother ferrousmaterial, Acorrosive, electrolytic action. will result due tog-the action; of the 'steamori condensate or both. Itlwillrbe evident that-ailoat satisfying the-requirementshereinbefore' mentioned hasy noupart of ferrous-materialwhich is .exposedzto steam or condensate; the'v entire surface being :non-ferrous. In genei-aLa4 fioat-made'in accordance with the invention; eliminates: corrosive.V action dueto electrolysist; s' l Thaterm ferrous. is usedv for; the sake =of brevity to,y designateiron; or ironecontaining material, and the.term,nonferrous to vdesignate material containingv no iron orat mostonlysin anegligible amount such asA wouldl not -affeotrthe material for the purpose herein set forth.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that each of` the illustrated embodiments of my invention provides a new and improved float or the like and accordingly, each accomplishes the `principal object of my invention. On the other hand, it also will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiments of my invention may be variously changed and modified, or features thereof, singly or collectively, embodied in other combinations than those illustrated, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacriflcing all of the advantages thereof, and that accordingly, the disclosure herein is illustrative only, and my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. A hollow float, comprising: steel shell parts having mutually engaging joint portions; metallic bonding material adhering to and uniting said joint portions, the fusion temperature of said bonding material being substantially below the fusion temperature of said steel and higher than approximately 1000 F., and said bonding material having been fused in place at a temperature substantially below the fusion temperature of said steel; and at least the external surfaces of said shell parts and said bonding material having a coating of corrosion-resisting metallic material deposited thereon, the relative thickness of said corrosion-resisting material and said steel being a ratio of approximately one to three to a. ratio of approximately one to two.

2. A hollow metallic float, comprising: shell parts joined to each other intermediate the opposite ends of said shell parts; one of said ends having an aperture margined by an inwardly directed ange; a lug member having a portion disposed in and fastened in said flange strengthening means abutting the inside wall of the other of said ends and including a tubular member eX- tending within said Vshellr parts to and abutting the inside wall of said one of said ends, said tubular member having its inside surface fitting telescopically on the peripheral surface of said flange.

3. A hollow float having a minimum diameter in a range from approximately two inches to at least twelve inches and suitable for use in steam condensate and steam at temperatures up to the approximate order of at least 500 F., comprising: drawn sheet steel shell parts having a thickness in a range from approximately fifteen thousandths of an inch to at least fifty thousandths of an inch, and having mutually engaging joint portions; non-ferrous brazing alloy adhering to and uniting said joint portions, the fusion temperature of said brazing alloy being substantially below the fusion temperature of said steel and higher than approximately 1000 F., and said brazing alloy having been fused iny place at a temperature below a temperature which would substantially weaken said steel; and at least the external surfaces of said shell parts and said brazing alloy having a coating of copper deposited thereon, the relative thickness of said copper and said steel being a ratio of approximately one to three to a ratio of approximately one to two.

4. A hollow float, comprising: shell parts of steel having mutually engaging joint portions; means, including a lug of non-ferrous metallic material, having a recess constructed and arranged for connection to an operating means, said lugv and one of said shell parts having mutually engaging joint portions; metallic bonding mate- 8 rial adhering to and uniting said respective joint portions, said bonding material being a non-ferrous brazing alloy the fusion temperature of which is substantially below the fusion temperature of said shell parts and said lug respectively and higher than approximately 1000 F., and said brazing alloy havingl been fused in place at a temperature substantially below the fusion ternperature of said shell parts and said lug respectively; and at least the external surfaces of said shell parts and said bonding material having a coating of corrosion-resisting metallic material deposited thereon, the relative thickness of said corrosion-resisting metallic `material and said steel being a ratio of approximately one to three to a-ratio of approximately one to two.

` SYDNEY M. HODGINS.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are or" record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 14,959 Hoyt May 27, 1856 274,833 Shepardso'n Mar. 27, 1883 740,625 Burlingame Oct. 6, 1903 y789,342 Voelke May 9, 1905 831,639 Waldo Sept. 25, 1906 855,659 OBrienV June 4, 1907 944,477 Briggs Dec. 28, 1909 1,046,162 Engelhard Dec. 3, 1912 1,287,442 Rosenthal Dec. 10, 1918 1,587,404vv Nicholson June 1, 1926 1,829,828 Gay Nov3, 1931 1,992,605 Clifford Feb. 26,1935 2,004,182 Arey June 11, 1935 2,079,126v Maas May 4, 1937 2,087,913 Kenney July 27, 1937 2,166,109 Karmazin July 18, 1939 2,320,163 d Anderson May 25, 1943 2,327,299 Yablin Aug. 17, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,776 Great Britain Oct. 15, 1906 24,188 Great Britain Nov. 23, 1905 583,727 France Nov. 5, 1924 

